Talking-board



' (No Model.)

0. W. KENNARD! TALKING BOARD.

No. 462,819. Patented Nov. 10,1891.

WrrmsssEs INVLJVTOR UNlTED STATES PATENT Curio-E.

CHARL 1S IV. KENNARD, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

TALKING-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,819, dated November 10, 1891.

Application filed February 18, 1891. $erial No. 381,965. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. KENNARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented cer-v tain new and useful Improvements in Talking-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

In the talking apparatus or game for which Letters Patent were granted to Elijah J. Bond February 10, 1891, there is a board provided with an alphabet, numerals, and certain signs, and a table provided with legs and a pointer, upon which the hands of two operators are simultaneously placed, so that the table is moved by the involuntary action of the hands in such a manner as to point to certain figures, letters, or signs, thereby spelling out communications in answer to questions or otherwise. IVhile this apparatus has proved to be effective and a source of great entertainment an interest the table is capable of movement over the whole surface of the board, so that it is sometimes difficult to operate it effectively under slight influences, or to de-' termine with precision the answers pointed out, and it is necessary to highly polish the surface of the board and maintain it free from projections, to which end the letters and signs must be printed directly upon the board, the printing and polishing greatly increasing the cost of the apparatus.

In order to reduce the expense and improve the efficiency of the apparatus, I construct the same as fully set forth hereinafter, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation showing the table provided with apendent curtain. (Not shown in Fig. 1.) Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view showing a modification.

A represents the board, which, instead of necessarily being of fine-grainedmaterial and highly polished and printed, may be of ordinary material, while the printed matter is upon a sheet 00 of paper or other suitable material pasted to the surface of the board, after which the whole may be varnished. The edge of the paper strip does not in this case constitute an impediment to the free action of the table B, because the latter, instead of moving over the whole surface of the table, as heretofore, is connected so as to swing around a pivot and to slide radially, its movements being thereby limited, so that the supports are not broughtin contact with the edge of the strip, and such supports are in the form of a caster or casters 8. Thus in Figs. 1 and 2 the table B is provided with aslotted extension 2, receiving a guide-pin 3, in the upper end of a standard 4, the slot being of such length as to permit the table to slide in and out radially to such an extent as to bring the pointer 5 in position over any one of a number of different series of signs, figures, or letters, each series arranged in a curve concentric with the pin 3.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 aheavy standard 4 is secured to the back portion of the table with a guide-pin 6, extending into a slot 7 of the board, the standard at being spread at the base to prevent the table from tilting, while the front end of the table issupported by a single leg 8, having a ball-caster with the pointer 5, projecting from said leg. In either construction the bearings of the table are upon the board and do not travel over the surface of the sheet, and as the bearings are in the form of rolling bearings it is not necessary to impart to the board the high degree of polish and uniformity requisite in the other form of apparatus, and the sheet is not liable to become defaced by the rubbing of the table-supports thereon. lVhile the table is perfectly free to move in any direction necessary to bring the pointer to the proper position, as respects any of the signs upon the sheet, it is so limited in its movements'that it cannot travel over the unmarked portion of the board, and is therefore more sensitive to the slightest movements of the hands, and such slight movements will act to carry the pointer with precision to the different marks or indications upon the sheet.

In order to secure increased efficiency and 'improve the apparatus by concealing the supports, and, further, to conceal the marks diit will also be'evident that the casters and supports may be differently constructed without departing from the main features of my invention.

\Vithout limiting myself to the precise construotion and'arrangement of parts shown, I claim r 1. The Within-described game apparatus, consisting of a board with letters, signs, or figures arranged in series upon concentric curves and a table supported to swing and slide about a point at the center from which said curves-are drawn, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a game apparatus, of a board having a series of signs, letters, or figures arranged on curved lines, a slotted table provided with a pointer, and a pin coinciding with the center from which said lines are drawn and extending through the slot in the table, substantially as set forth.

The combination of the table provided with a pointer sliding radially and swinging CHARLES W. KENNARD.

Witnesses:

R. E. SEALEY, G. E. REARDON. 

